Penn State's Drew Allar Gets Ratings Boost in EA Sports' College Football 26

EA Sports developers ranked Penn State near the top of its new College Football 26 game, scheduled for a July 10 national release. But the Nittany Lions, which are No. 4 in the team rankings, don't have a player in the top 25 of the individual player rankings. They do, however, have a quarterback tied for the game's highest overall rating at the position.

Nicholas Singleton, who already is appearing on preseason All-America teams, is Penn State's highest-ranked player in the latest iteration of the popular game. The running back received a 93 OVR in EA Sports' player rankings, placing him 26th on the top-100 list. Penn State has six players ranked among College Football 26's top-60, four on offense and two on defense.

Edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton is Penn State's highest-ranked defensive player (92 OVR), the same score as quarterback Drew Allar and running back Kaytron Allen. Offensive lineman Vega Ioane also earned an OVR of 92, while cornerback AJ Harris checks in at 91.

Singleton earned an overall rating of 93, tied for second among running backs behind only Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame (95). Singleton is fourth in the speed rating (94) and tied for sixth in agility (91). Interestingly, Singleton had the highest injury rating (97) among backs, even though he missed time and carries last season because a lingering injury.

Singleton and Allen (96) received high injury ratings likely because of how they have shared Penn State's carries over the past three years. Allen ranks just below Singleton with a 92 OVR and has the highest strength rating (84) among the ranked backs.

Allar is tied for the game's highest-ranking at quarterback, earning a 92 OVR along with Clemson's Cade Klubnik and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier. Allar is listed as the No. 2 quarterback with the second-highest awareness rating (95) among the top-7 quarterbacks.

Dennis-Sutton is the fourth-ranked left edge rusher in College Football 26 with an elite awareness score of 98. Ioane is tied for the game's highest OVR (92) at left guard and is one of the highest-ranked overall players in terms of strength (97). Harris is seventh in cornerback OVR (91), earning strong scores for agility (93), speed (92) and awareness (92).

Penn State turns toward the 2025 season with a roster expected to return to the College Football Playoff. In addition to their rated players in the game, the Nittany Lions return five offensive linemen with starting experience, a potential All-American defensive tackle in Zane Durant and second-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Franklin has said he is "totally comfortable" talking about the team's expectations.

"I want these players to experience this," Franklin said on a recent episode of the Triple Option Podcast. I want these players that have come back and made these sacrifices to be a part of something special. And that’s why I wake up very early and that’s why I go to sleep late at night, trying to put these players in the best position to be successful at it and have a very, very special season this year at Penn State.”

EA Sports College Football 26 will be released officially July 10.